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THE 

BIBLE 



ITS INERRANCY 

ITS INTERPRETATION 

ITS INSTRUCTION 



ROBERT G. PHELPS 



THE BIBLE 

Its Inerrancy 
Its Interpretation 
Its Instruction 



THE TESTIMONY OF A LAWYER 

FROM HIS OWN EXPERIENCE 

WITH GOD'S WORD 



By ROBERT G.' PHELPS 



'Thou hast magnified thy word 
above all thy name" — Psa. 138:2 



CHICAGO 

THE BIBLE INSTITUTE COLPORTAGE ASS'N 

826 North La Salle Street 



e>° 



D^> 



Copyright, 1922, by 

The Bible Institute Colportage Association 

of Chicago 



©CL-A6 7 7 47 8 

JULIO '22 



CONTENTS 

PART I. THE BOOK ------ 5 

Chap. 1. Inerrancy ------ 5 

Chap. 2. Canon - - --- -. - 18 

Chap. 3. Versions ------ 22 

PART II. UNDERSTANDING THE BOOK - 26 

Chap. 1. Interpreting the Book 26 

Chap. 2. God in the Book - - - - 29 

Chap. 3. The Plan of the Ages 33 

PART III. SALVATION IN THE BOOK - 39 

Chap. 1. The Law ------ 39 

Chap. 2. The Good News - - - - 41 

Chap. 3. The Sign of the Prophet Jonas - 44 



PART ONE 



THE BOOK 

CHAPTER I 

INERRANCY 

BY the inerrancy of the Bible, we mean that the 
entire Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- 
ments, having been given by inspiration of God 
(2 Tim. 3:16, 17), are infallible; and therefore, they not 
only constitute the only and all-sufficient rule of faith and 
practice, but in addition thereto they present all the inci- 
dental facts of the text, whether relating to philosophy, 
science, history, or other subject, wholly without error. 

The evidence on this point can be produced at great 
length, along many lines, and without the slightest con- 
flict or doubt. These lines of testimony to the inerrancy 
of the Bible are found in science, archaeology, criticism, 
fulfilled prophecy, Christ's statements, and in the Book 
itself. We will refer to these briefly in the order men- 
tioned. It must be borne in mind at the outset, however, 
that the sublime doctrines of the Word, of which its iner- 
rancy is one, are not susceptible of treatment on the basis 
of formal logic or natural philosophy. "The natural man 
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; neither 
can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" 
(1 Cor. 2:14). The Holy Spirit, He must be our 
teacher (John 14:26). 

Science is a general term and often means noth- 
ing more than the latest hypothesis or conjecture in 
an attempt to explain some phenomenon of nature. 
There are, however, certain "assured results" in science, 

5 



6 The Bible 

and many of these testify to the inerrancy of the Bible. 
When geographers believed that the earth was flat 
like a stove lid and rested upon four elephants or 
a turtle, and when mariners worried about sailing 
over the edge, the Bible referred to the sphericity 
of the earth (Job 26:7; Isa. 40:22; Luke 17:31-36; 
Mark 13:16-18). Galileo was haled before a church 
tribunal for having impiously suggested that the 
earth moved, and he and his pious inquisitors 
might profitably have consulted Job 38:31,32, which is 
an obvious reference to the precession of the equinox. 
The learned Greeks pictured Jove in a continual state of 
preparedness with a handful of flaming thunderbolts, and 
were wholly ignorant of the scriptural statement regard- 
ing the formation of static electricity by the condensa- 
tion of vapor (Jer. 10:13). The regulations given the 
children of Israel in the eleventh to the fifteenth chapters 
of Leviticus and in other portions of the law, constitute 
the scientific basis of all modern sanitation, ofttimes 
without noticeable change. In view of such facts, we can 
safely refer to the Word as scientific. It would be a 
graceful compliment to any scientist, however, with less 
chance of appearing to subordinate the Bible to science, 
to refer to his assured results as being wholly scriptural. 
Whenever the skeptic asserts that the Scriptures are defi- 
cient with respect to their treatment of natural phe- 
nomena, we may safely conclude one of four things: 
either he knows nothing of science himself, or he has not 
read the account at all, or he is dishonest, or (which very 
commonly occurs) he is drawing a hasty and ill-advised 
conclusion as to some matter of which science really 
knows little or nothing. For an example of the last alter- 
native (and without conceding that Joshua 10:12-14 in- 
volves a scientific question at all), we respectfully submit 
that no reputable scientist at this time would advance, as 
finally determining the question, any statement as to just 



The Book 7 

what would occur here on earth should the sun and moon 
(momentarily pause in their known activity. 

Particularly in recent years, the archaeologist has been 
a prominent factor in the offensive and defensive opera- 
tions conducted in this controversy. Every monument 
dealing with the same subject-matter has demonstrated 
the precision of the scriptural narrative. It would almost 
seem that the stone has indeed cried out of the wall and 
the beam out of the timber (Hab. 2:11). There is pecu- 
liar conviction whenever the pick and spade reply to the 
"higher" (?) critic, often before his ink is dry. Hardly 
had it been "conclusively proved" that Moses antedated 
any and all possibility of a formal code of law than the 
code of Hammurabi (Amraphel), five hundred years older 
than Moses, was discovered. Thereupon one of these 
(alleged) scholars observed that Moses had copied his 
system from the other, failing to observe the fundamental 
dissimilarity of the one from the other. This unfortunate 
suggestion called forth the remonstrance of his co- 
critics, because they said that by admitting that Moses 
ever wrote anything, their whole position was prejudiced, 
and they engaged in a brawl on this point. (Be it known 
that there is no concord between these so-called scholars, 
and each is certain that he is right and that all the others 
are wrong: their only agreement being that they are all 
right so far as the Bible is concerned.) One of the inci- 
dentals of this particular discussion regarding these codes 
is that Abraham was thereby rescued from the quasi- 
respectable society of Cressida, Dido, and other mytho- 
logical characters; and the lately discredited Amraphel 
and his three kingly companions (Gen. 14:1-12), "who 
never existed," were reinstated in good standing in the 
inner circle of historical characters. Suffice to say that 
this is a fair instance of the state of the destructive critic 
in view of the disagreeable frequency with which the 
contemporary remains demonstrate the inerrancy of the 
Word of God. 



8 The Bible 

Criticism is a legitimate system, and this includes 
"higher" criticism in the technical sense, as well as "lower" 
criticism. The reproach which the "higher" school has to 
bear comes from the fact that its method of operation 
was seized upon by Astruc, Eichorn, Graf, Wellhausen, 
Kuenen, and their ilk for the dissemination of their in- 
fidel propaganda, and they have given more energy to 
their publicity agents than they have to their "scholar- 
ship" (?). With certain exceptions, it is a characteristic 
of scriptural doctrines of any moment that they unfold 
slowly and by virtue of Christian patience and study. In 
proceeding to the end of removal of alleged discrepancies 
in the text, it is natural that criticism would make slow 
progress, as in the case of doctrines other than that of in- 
errancy (John 5:39; Josh. 1:8). In fact, it is in favor 
of inerrancy that it should develop in the same manner 
as do most other doctrines. The important things to note 
here are, first, that apparent discrepancies, when honestly 
considered by the scholar, have never in a single instance 
turned out to involve a contradiction (Matt. 22:23-33; 
John 7:40-42) ; second, that the progress of scholarship 
tends to discover the solution of one passage after another 
from time to time, and these solutions invariably remove 
the basis for any charge of discrepancy in each given 
instance (1 Pet. 1 : 10-12). We can merely state the fore- 
going proposition, for we have neither the space nor the 
qualifications requisite to enlarging upon this part of the 
inquiry. 

Fulfilled prophecy declares the Word to be inerrant. 
Prophecy is history related in advance. While the right 
to guess or to reason as to what another day may bring 
forth is reserved to man, with a mathematically unchang- 
ing, contingent probability of fulfillment, it is only with 
God that there is no succession of time, and with Him 
only does the panorama of eternity manifest itself as an 
eternal present (John 8:58). We do not understand this 



The Book 9 

any more than we understand many other things which we 
know to be true. I have one chance in two to correctly 
foretell the outcome of tomorrow's weather; but it is 
readily apparent that I cannot even guess as to what un- 
born persons, acting under unforeseeable conditions, with 
unknown agencies, and for unheard of ends, will do after 
the lapse of a number of years. Yet this latter class of 
events, to occur often hundreds of years later, are fore- 
told in the Bible with unfailing accuracy and certainty, 
events whose fulfillment often came through persons ig- 
norant of the Bible (Isa. 45:1-4), or hostile to its mes- 
sage (Dan. 8:9-14), events which in many cases the 
writer did not comprehend (1 Pet. 1:10-12; John 
11:49-52). 

Some examples of these prophecies are: Those con- 
cerning the dispersion (Deut. 28:36, 37; Lev. 26:32-35) ; 
concerning Assyria's fate (Nahum) ; Persia, Alexander, 
etc., (Dan. 8) ; concerning the destruction of Tyre 
(Ezek. 26) ; concerning Titus' siege of Jerusalem (Luke 
21 :5, 6, 20-24) ; and the Messianic prophecies, i. e., virgin 
birth (Isa. 7:14), birthplace (Mic. 5:2), price of be- 
trayal (Zech. 11 :12, 13), smitten on the cheek (Mic. 5 :1), 
crucifixion (Psa. 22:14-16), not a bone broken (Psa. 
34:20), resurrection (Psa. 40:1,2), and scores of others. 
Only through the dictation of God who alone knows the 
end from the beginning (Isa. 46:9, 10) could the writers 
of the Bible have accomplished this. It follows that from 
the direction of God, who makes no mistakes, inerrancy 
must result. 

Christ's statements as to anything should be sufficient 
authority. He is God (John 1:1, and infra) and is om- 
niscient (John 1 :48). His statements may be accepted as 
final (Matt. 24:35). He taught the Old Testament to 
His disciples (Luke 24:44,45), and also to others (Luke 
24 :25-27). He testified to Moses and the prophets (Luke 
16:29-31) ; and declared that all the law and the prophets 



10 The Bible 

prophesied (Matt. 11:13). He stated that the Psalms 
were concerning Him (Luke 24:44), that David was in- 
spired by the Holy Ghost (Mk. 12:36), and that "the 
Scripture cannot be broken' (John 10:34,35). He re- 
ferred to a large number of Old Testament events as 
literal facts: for example: — 

Creation of Mankind, Mk. 10:6,7; 
Noah and the Flood, Matt. 24:37-39; 
Destruction of Sodom, Luke 17:29; 
Judgment on Lot's Wife, Luke 17:31,32; 
Moses at the Burning Bush, Mk. 12:26; 
Manna from Heaven, John 6 :49 ; 
David and the Shewbread, Matt. 12:3,4; 
Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Matt. 12:42; 
Famine in Israel in Elijah's time, Luke 4:26; 
Jonah's Adventure and Preaching, Matt. 

12:40,41; 
Naaman's Cleansing, Luke 4:27; 
Murders of Abel and Zechariah, Matt 23 :35. 

The New Testament was not written until after 
Christ's ascension, but it had His authorization. Refer- 
ring to the need of a further revelation, He said that 
there were many things yet to be spoken through the 
guidance of the Holy Spirit (John 16:12,13). Special 
authority was given to certain ones to be His witnesses 
(John 15:26,27); John 16:13; Acts 9:5,6,15-17; Rev. 
1:18,19); and see also Gal. 1:12; 1 Cor. 14:37; Eph. 
3:3; Rev. 1:11; Luke 1:3 "from the very first" 
= av(a0€v= [literally] "from above"). The books of the 
New Testament bear on their faces the evidence that the 
writers were following this sanction in writing (Chap. 
2, infra), and that the text is given by inspiration. 

Lastly, the Bible appears as a witness in its own be- 
half, and its testimony is of two kinds. First, we have 
some real and circumstantial evidence based upon the 
Book itself as an exhibit. Second, we have the witness 
of the statements found on its pages. The mere fact of 
its existence is real evidence of its inerrancy (Matt. 



The Book 11 

24:35). Under like circumstances, any book which was 
not inerrant would have ceased to exist altogether or 
would have been preserved only by antiquaries as the dis- 
credited relic of a past age. It has defended itself for 
centuries against the attacks of edicts, orders of councils, 
bans and bulls, the ridicule of atheists and infidels, the 
perversions of false creeds and teachers, and the assaults 
of rationalists and skeptics. "Certain marginal notes and 
commentaries, it is true, yielded to the intensity of the 
fiery test, but without detriment to the smallest syllable 
that had flamed from the pen of inspiration" (Earth's 
Holocaust, Hawthorne). We now find it read univer- 
sally and translated into about five hundred languages and 
dialects. It is the foundation of the literature of most 
civilized nations. Its message is adapted to every chang- 
ing age and condition (Psa. 147:18; Isa. 40:8; Jer. 
23:29; 1 Pet. 1:23-25). 



"Whence but from Heaven could men un- 

skill'd in arts, 
In several ages born, in several parts, 
Weave such agreeing truths. Or how, or why, 
Should all conspire to cheat us with a lie? 
Unask'd their pains, ungrateful their advice, 
Starving their gains, and martyrdom their 

price" 

(Religio Laid, Dryden.) 



The literary merit contained in the style and subject- 
matter of the Book makes up a bit of strong circumstan- 
tial evidence, derived from the Bible itself, in favor of its 
inerrancy. In order to meet the literary scholar's require- 
ments, a production must have unity, variety, coherence, 
and symmetry. A skillful author, fortified with the requi- 
site preparation, information, and education, often com- 
poses something which will in some degree meet these 
tests. The circumstances attending the writing of the 
Bible were unique : It claims about forty authors, and is 



12 The Bible 

composed of sixty-six separate books ; and is in part in at 
least four languages. Its authors did not write by com- 
mon design nor contemporaneously (except in a few in- 
stances), but extending over almost two thousand years. 
Further than that, it is quite possible that some of its au- 
thors did not know that they were writing part of a Bible 
at all. And it is certain, as is stated, that some of them 
did not understand their own writings (1 Pet. 1:9-12). 
Again, much of the Bible was written by illiterate men, 
such as fishermen, tax collectors, herdsmen, etc. With 
such a state of facts, except for divine guidance, nothing 
unified, coherent, nor symmetrical could result; and va- 
riety, instead of affording a refreshing change, would tend 
to a bewildering, stupid, and meaningless hodge-podge. 
But, wonder of wonders, we find the Bible to have perfect 
unity. There is one great topic of revelation which con- 
tinues throughout the work : This topic is Christ, and the 
blood, without the shedding of which there is no remission 
(Gen. 3:21; Gen. 4:4; Ex. 12:13; Lev. 17:11; Heb. 
9:22; 1 Pet. 1 :18, 19). Christ, revealed in the New Tes- 
tament, came to fulfill the Old Testament (Matt. 5 :17) ; 
He is the believer's Redeemer (Gal. 4:4, 5) like the Kins- 
man-Redeemer of the Law (Lev. 25 :25-28 ; Ruth 4 :1-11) ; 
He is the Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 8:8-13; 
9:15) and all the great Old Testament promises point to 
Him; He has redeemed us from the curse of the Law 
(Gal. 3:13-15); He is in the first verse of the Bible 
("God" = Elohim) and in the last verse ; and He is 
coming again (Acts 1:11). By this unity, we find the 
explanation of the problem of how God can be just and 
justify the ungodly (Rom. 4), and the answer to the 
question of the ages (Job 14:14), "If a man die, shall he 
live again?" (Job 19:25; 1 Cor. 15:20,21). 

In a unified production of so considerable extent, we 
might reasonably expect to find the same style of writing ; 
and this would, after a time, become monotonous. Again 



The Book 13 

the unusual confronts us, and this time it is variety ; for 
the mode of writing rapidly changes from plain discourse 
to the most classic phraseology. There is the poetry of 
the Psalms, the history of Samuel, the biography of the 
synoptic Gospels, the account of the early Church in Acts, 
the short story of Ruth, the dirge of Lamentations, the 
Law of Moses, the drama of Job, the oration by Judah, 
the sermons in Ecclesiastes, the personal correspondence 
of Paul to Timothy, Titus and Philemon, the autobiogra- 
phy of Daniel, the debate of Romans, the song of Debo- 
rah, and other literary forms, telling of childhood, old 
age, friendship, tragedy, love, disappointment, home, sor- 
row, marriage, death, peace, war, industry, nature, part- 
ing, religion, hatred, joy, sin, God, heaven, and all of the 
affections, sentiments, desires, and pursuits of mankind. 
No other book has such marvelous and attractive variety 
in its composition. 

All these diverse parts of the Bible are found, never- 
theless, to be mutually dependent and related, so as to 
cohere one to another without explanation or artifice. 
Many a book written by a single author on one subject re- 
quires more than one diversion from the topic in order to 
give us the connection; many a "sequel" discloses little 
or no relation to its antecedent. Scripture is not only co- 
herent through all its changes, but its different parts serve 
to explain the whole and to develop what has gone be- 
fore. For example : Ruth follows Judges without any 
attempt to synchronize or localize, and yet the two blend 
into one whole. Judges portrays the conditions preva- 
lent at the time of Ruth, while Ruth illustrates the opera- 
tion of those same conditions. Similar coherence obtains 
where 1 Samuel resumes the synoptic narration left off in 
Judges. Incidentally, Ruth illustrates the operation of the 
Mosaic law of Leviticus 25 :47-50, and beautifully typifies 
Christ as our Redeemer ; and at the same time, it gives us 
the genealogy of David, and hence of Christ. Examina- 



14 The Bible 

tion of any parts of the Word will demonstrate the same 
cohesion. 

The fourth outstanding mark of literary merit in the 
Bible is a due proportion of all its parts in harmonious 
relation one to another. Nature bestows symmetry upon 
its creations and warns us, "None genuine without this 
trade-murk." The Book is a constant example of sym- 
metry. A single illustration will suffice, and this is what 
is known as the "harmony of the Gospels." 

Matthew pictures Christ as King ; Mark depicts Him 
as the obedient servant ; Luke tells of His humanity as 
the man Christ Jesus; while John shows Him as very 
God. John's Gospel is not synoptic, and was written after 
the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. None of the four 
claim or aim to write all that they saw or knew of Christ 
(John 20:30). When presenting evidence to a court or 
jury, precise agreement in detail and recollection on the part 
of several witnesses is a suspicious circumstance, giv- 
ing an impression of pre-arrangement. Only the more 
outstanding details present themselves to different wit- 
nesses to a given occurrence, and the minor things w r hich 
impress one will not be noticed or remembered by another 
(Mk. 14:47-52). Some things will be observed by two 
or by three, but not by all. So it is here; the writers 
tell what they saw and remember as it impressed them. 
Each one has certain peculiar events to describe. Some 
things are mentioned by only two (i. e., the Lord's Prayer, 
Matt. 6:8-15; Luke 11:2-4). Another class of happen- 
ings will be prominent enough to be recalled by three 
(i. e., the death of John the Baptist, Matt. 14:1-10; Mk. 
6:21-27; Luke 9:7-9). On the main facts they all bear 
agreeing testimony (i. e., the ministry of John the Bap- 
tist, the feeding of the five thousand, Peter's great con- 
fession, Christ's offer of Himself as king, the betrayal, 
denial, trial, crucifixion, resurrection, and the prophecy of 
the second coming of Christ). All this convinces us of 



The Book 15 

trustworthy first-hand testimony on the part of several 
witnesses. 

The second class of testimony by the Bible to itself, 
and the last evidence of its inerrancy which we shall dis- 
cuss, consists as has been stated, in its own statements 
bearing on the question of its inspiration. Irrespective of 
any question of interest in the outcome of the controversy, 
whenever an interested person is known to be a generally 
reliable and truthful individual, his testimony is accepted 
without question by court or jury. When such a one is a 
party to the action, who was on the ground at the time, his 
testimony is of the highest importance and value. Now 
the Bible is, by common consent, generally reputable and 
reliable in a high degree. There is therefore every logical 
consideration in favor of its accuracy in this particular. 
Furthermore, all the details of Scripture, as such, rest 
upon the same authority and are substantiated by the same 
claim as regards Divine revelation. This being true, we 
may just as authoritatively deny any one detail or anv 
number thereof, as to deny any other detail thereof ; and 
therefore, the denial of anything involves the possible de- 
nial of all and the loss of all basis for our faith. One 
of these details, which assumes the proportions of a major 
doctrine of the Word, is its own inspiration (2 Tim. 3 :16; 
2 Pet. 1 :16-21 ) . Moreover, the claim here is to VERBAL 
INSPIRATION (Ex. 32:16). By VERBAL IN- 
SPIRATION we mean that the Divine influence 
(which accompanied all the writing, and both in thought 
and in word insured its infallibility, and determined the 
subject-matter and material, so that the individuality of 
each writer was preserved, and yet the writing was truly 
the specific utterance of God) extended to the very 
words themselves. The claim to such authority 
and to such accuracy is peculiar to the Scriptures, and in 
them is found to be so interwoven as to be of the essence 
of the whole work. No other writings make any such 



16 The Bihk 

bold declaration; and if they should do so, it would be 
scorned as profane arrogance by the Christian world, 
would be ridiculed as nonsense by the rest of the world, 
and it would bring the work and its author into disrepute 
with all the world. Yet, we take it in the Bible as a mat- 
ter of course. Let us examine this doctrine. 

Inspiration, if it has any purpose, is to insure an in- 
fallible record. A record, as such, must be words or their 
equivalents; and if any intelligible meaning is to be con- 
veyed to the human mind so as to avoid error, these words 
must be exactly appropriate for the purpose. Naturally 
then we find that never is it said that the mind or the 
ideas of any person are inspired for the purpose of writ- 
ing or otherwise communicating revelation, nor that the 
thought of the Lord came to anybody's mind, nor that 
the Lord is with the mind or intellect of anyone. If such 
were the case, an additional miracle not contemplated in 
a single verse of the Word, conferring upon the sacred 
authors the ability to correctly analyze and transcribe 
their ideas, would be essential to protect us from the frail- 
ties and deficiencies of each. Furthermore, such a situa- 
tion, in view of statements of the Book to the effect that 
the writers often did not understand their own writings 
(1 Pet. 1 :9-12), would leave us in hopeless confusion. We 
note, however, that in all cases "the word of the Lord" 
comes to someone, or God is with the "lips" or the 
"mouth" or He "speaks through" the inspired person, who 
later transcribes these words which in fact are the words 
of the Lord (Num. 22:37, 38; John 11 :49-51 ; Ex. 4:12; 
Num. 23:5,12-16; Deut 4:2; 2 Sam. 23:2; Job 6:10; 
Psa. 68:11; Isa. 6:5-9; Jer. 36; Ezek. 2:2,3,7; Hab. 
2:2; Zech. 7:7,8; Matt. 5:17,18; Mk. 12:36; Luke 
24:44,45; John 17:8, 17-20; Acts 28:25-27; 1 Cor. 
2:12, 13; 1 Tim. 4:1 ; Rev. 22:18, 19; and many, many 
others). This quality of inspiration extends not only to 
the words in the common sense of that term, but to gen- 



The Book 17 

der (Matt. 16:18, "Peter" IIerpcrs== masculine; "rock" 
= Trirpa = neuter), number (Gal. 3:16, "seeds" 
= (nripfiacriv =? plural; "Seed" = arrrepfxaTt = singular) ; 
spelling ("jot" = yod = a Hebrew letter), and punctua- 
tion (Matt. 5 :18, "tittle" = a Hebrew mark corresponding 
to a breathing mark on punctuation). 

Humanly speaking, apparently it never occurred to 
the writers of Scripture that there could be any question 
as to verbal inspiration, for in most instances it is as- 
sumed without apology or explanation, as in the case of 
any other self-evident fact. Whatever doubt there may be 
as to the exact understanding of other doctrines of the 
Word, there is no doubt as to this one. Evidently, if the 
very words are the dictation of the Holy Spirit, these very 
words must be inerrant. 

With this last testimony we leave the subject with the 
reader. We would only call your attention to the peculiar 
and striking absence of any attempt on the part of any 
writer, designedly or involuntarily, to impose his indi- 
viduality or views upon the subject-matter. Each one 
was schooled in, or at least reared in contact with, the un- 
scientific, superstitious lore of the times. So it was that 
Moses was skilled in "all the knowledge of the Egyp- 
tians" and other writers believed in astrology, necro- 
mancy, and other commonly accepted error (Gen. 44:5). 
Yet they all ignore these things, which were familiar to 
them, in their writing; and instead, they inscribe eternal 
truths, often unfamiliar to them, and preface these truths 
with the proclamation of "Thus saith the Lord." 



18 The Bible 

CHAPTER II 

CANON 

The canon of the Bible is the selection of sacred books 
which, considered as a whole, constitutes the Church's 
complete and only rule (kuvw) of faith and practice. A 
canonical book is authoritative, not because it is in the 
canon, but because it was given by inspiration of God, 
wherefore it has a place in the canon. 

The Pentateuch, written by Moses, was the first di- 
vision accepted (Deut. 31 :25, 26). This was accepted in 
the days of Joshua (Josh. 1 :8) by divine command. 
Joshua admittedly added to this record (Josh. 24:26), 
and Samuel after him (1 Sam. 10:25). In Isaiah's time 
a "book of the Lord" had come to exist (Isa. 34:16), 
although the Law of Moses was still the standard about 
which they rallied (Isa. 8:20). The spirit of prophecy, 
characterizing Moses and Joshua, found permanent ex- 
pression under Samuel in the school of the Prophets, and 
continued down to Malachi. This is not inspiration, al- 
though it undoubtedly exists wherever inspiration is 
found; but it is the divine influence which, manifesting 
itself in all the true prophets, enabled them to discern true 
divine revelation. This spirit of prophecy appears through- 
out all the Old Testament (Matt. 11 :13). By this means, 
pious men tested each work as it appeared. Uninspired 
writings were put forward from time to time, and were 
promptly rejected as spurious (Jer. 28; Jer. 29:8-32). 
Under Ezra, the "Great Synagogue" was formed, which, 
under his learned and pious leadership, collected and ar- 
ranged all the sacred books up to that time. From relia- 
ble profane historians it would seem that this body con- 
tinued to act for some time, and probably until the gen- 
eration of Ezra had completely passed away. If so, which 
is likely, all the books of the Old Testament were cer- 
tainly completed in the period of this body, with the pos- 



The Book 19 

sible exception of Malachi, which appeared and was added 
to the canon some fifty years or less after Ezra. The Sep- 
tuagint, or Greek translation, was made about 285 B. C. 
and included all the Old Testament books which we now 
recognize. Christ and the apostles quote from this ver- 
sion, and we have it today. Josephus includes just those 
books which are in our Old Testament as the recognized 
writings of the Jews. Since Christ, Jews and Christians 
have been severally the guardians of the Old Testament. 

In this way we know that the "Scriptures" which 
Christ taught, and from which He read, were our Old 
Testament, book for book. Christ sanctioned these Scrip- 
tures. He testified to the infallibility of "the law and the 
prophets," a common designation for the canon of that 
day (Luke 16:16, 17). He quotes them by their gener- 
ally recognized title of "the lam, the prophets and the 
psalms" (Luke 24:44). Christ censured the Jews on 
many occasions for being unfaithful doers of the Scrip- 
tures (Matt. 22:29), but NEVER DID HE ACCUSE 
THEM OF BEING UNFAITHFUL CUSTODIANS 
THEREOF. The apostles often refer to them as divine 
writings (2 Tim. 3:15,16; Acts 11:16), and never do 
the apostles refer to or quote any other books as being in- 
spired. Lastly, we are told by no less an authority on the 
New Testament text than Dr. Brooke F. Westcott, that 
the writers thereof either by reference, quotation or in- 
corporation of phraseology have included parts of all of 
the books of the Old Testament in some portion or other 
of the New. 

This brings us to an inquiry into the canon of our 
New Testament and its settlement. In the first place, 
there are the four Gospels to be considered. In the pre- 
ceding chapter we have seen the harmony of the Gospels 
very briefly referred to. This literary characteristic, if 
pursued further, clearly demonstrates that we have four 
independent accounts by eyewitnesses. The narratives in 



20 The Bible 

themselves demonstrate that they are by eyewitnesses 
( Mk. 14 :50-52 ; 16 :7, Mark and Peter) . Yet they are sepa- 
rate accounts, as the numerous apparent differences (such 
as the inscription on the cross, etc.) all demonstrate. 
Careful study reconciles these surface dissimilarities so 
that no contradiction is involved. Study also brings out 
what are called "undesigned coincidences," which by 
showing the unintentional agreement of the writers proves 
their accuracy. (An interesting work but rather large 
for common use is Blunt's Undesigned Coincidences.) 
Whether such considerations affected the early Chris- 
tians or not, we cannot say; but it is certain that these 
four books were promptly and universally accepted. 

The Old Testament was directly delivered to the 
Jewish people as the books from time to time made their 
appearance; while on the contrary, the New Testament 
books were, in the majority of cases, scattered about, as 
sent to the different churches. Different ones of the 
apostles were then living and actually present with many 
of the different churches, and these churches were quali- 
fied therefore to judge as to the inspiration of writings 
which came under their observation. IN NO INSTANCE 
did any individual church reject a book which we now ac- 
cept. There was delay in having all the books universally 
accepted, but delay does not constitute rejection. Of 
course, the church at one place, while not rejecting, would 
hesitate to accept an epistle to some other church without 
having the opportunity to judge its qualifications by a per- 
sonal examination. There were no registered mails in 
those days, and possession of Christian writings for the 
first two centuries was often a dangerous thing; so that 
the complete and safe transmission of these books for ex- 
amination was not easily accomplished. In the course of 
the first three centuries, the various churches had ample 
opportunity to examine all the books, and then it was 
that the canon was recognized universally as we have it 



The Book 21 

now. To this the church fathers and the early versions 
bear agreeing testimony. 

It is interesting to note that John's Gospel, written 
after most of the other books were completed, contains 
the plain statement by the Lord that the further revela- 
tion of inspired truth was committed to those who were 
His companions or who saw Him present in the flesh 
(John 16:12-15; John 17:18-20). This had been stated 
already in Hebrews 2:1-4, which Scripture, together with 
many other of the books, must have been known to John 
(and therefore impliedly sanctioned by him), for they 
were already familiar to Peter and approved by him (2 
Pet. 3:15-18). 

Let us now see if the writers of our New Testament 
saw Christ in the flesh. Matthew, John, James, Peter, and 
Jude were of His disciples (Matt. 10:2-4). Mark, 
nephew of Barnabas (Col. 4:10), son of Mary, one of the 
earliest Christians (Acts 12:12) manifestly saw Christ, 
as one vivid incident of his book indicates (Mk. 14 :50-52). 
Paul had a special revelation of the Lord (Acts 26 : 14-18; 
1 Cor. 9:1; Gal. 1:11, 12), and so apparently did Luke 
(Luke 1 :3, "from the very first" is the Greek word 
avuOtv, which is literally "from above" as in James 1 :17). 
This includes the entire list of New Testament authors. 

The book of Revelation clearly closed the canon. In 
all the Bible, the claim is that each portion as written be- 
comes an integral part of the whole which preceded it. It 
follows that the anathema in Revelation 22:18, 19, upon 
anyone adding to or taking from "the words of the 
book of this prophecy" applies to all Scripture prior 
thereto, and precludes further writings. 

In conclusion, we summarize by calling attention to 
the fact that the versions of the Old Testament and the 
evidence therefor, together with the New Testament, es- 
tablish the correctness of the Old Testament canon as we 
have it now. The canon of the New Testament was fully 



22 The Bible 

established by the early churches ; and, to paraphrase the 
words of the Rev. A. R. Fausset, it is clear that this canon 
is correct, not because the churches COULD not err, but 
because, as a matter of fact, they DID not err. 

"Thy testimonies are wonderful" (Psa. 119:129). 

CHAPTER III 

VERSIONS 

Versions of the Scriptures have been numerous, their 
occasions have been manifold, and they have been a val- 
uable feature in the life of the church. A discussion 
along general lines would be unprofitable at this time, 
however, for the reason that we use the Authorized, or 
King James, Version almost altogether, and our concern 
is with it only. In connection with this last version, there 
are two questions: first, How did we get it? and, second, 
What have we now that we have it? 

Prior to the sixteenth century there were few English 
Bibles accessible to the common people. Most of these 
were from the Latin Vulgate of Jerome, and that of Wyc- 
liffe is the best known. When England joined the Protes- 
tant reformation, the language of Wycliffe was largely 
obsolete, so that other renditions were required. These 
were soon furnished, using the versions extant and any 
available manuscripts. The best known of these are the 
versions of Tyndale, Coverdale, Cranmer, the Geneva 
Bible, and the Bishops' Bible. The Bishops' Bible was so 
called because it was produced largely by the efforts of 
the English bishops, and it was the first version to be au- 
thorized by the established church. This work appeared 
about 1570. Early in the seventeenth century, King 
James I was requested to give a new translation. At this 
time, the Geneva and Bishops' Bibles were the ones in 
most general use. Fifty-four scholars were intrusted 
with the work. The Bishops' Bible was to be followed so 



The Book 23 

far as the original would permit, although the other ver- 
sions were to be used as auxiliary to the work, and such 
manuscripts as were available were the official documents 
employed. This version, which we now use, was pub- 
lished in 1611, and gradually superseded the others. Its 
style is remarkable, and it has been the English literary 
standard almost since its publication. 

The remaining inquiry as stated is as to what we have 
in the Authorized Version, now that we have it. This 
involves a discussion of translations. Let us inspect the 
Old Testament first. As stated in the preceding chap- 
ter, it has been in the custody of the Jewish nation con- 
tinuously since the time of Ezra. Now remember that the 
Jews were taken over by Rome in toto as an existing na- 
tion, and so recognized by Rome, and were given a king 
by Rome, who was Herod in the time of Christ. Irre- 
spective of the terrible punishment given the Jews by 
Titus in A. D. 70, they were never subjected to the vicis- 
situdes to which the Christians were. They were enabled 
through all their trials to preserve their Scriptures in un- 
broken succession. These Scriptures, as was seen in our 
discussion of the Old Testament canon, were sanctioned 
by Christ and the New Testament inspired writers as 
correct. To add to this we have the Septuagint Version 
of B. C. 285. This version, while containing inaccuracies, 
was so trustworthy that the Holy Spirit often used it in 
quoting the Old Testament upon the pages of the New. 
Furthermore, it was, of course, translated from the old 
originals of the canon of the "Great Synagogue." A still 
further check on this translation will be found in the 
numerous extant "Targums." These are the paraphrases, 
made from time to time, from Ezra to a late date, because 
of the change in the character of the Hebrew language. 
This change had come about from several sources, but 
arose primarily in the fact that during the seventy years 
captivity, the Jews generally acquired the use of the 



24 The Bible 

Aramaic as spoken at Babylon. As the result of the op- 
portunity afforded by these different means for safe- 
guarding the translation, we are in a position, as reliable 
scholars advise us, to accept the Old Testament of the 
King James Version as fully accurate and reliable to the 
most remarkable degree. 

The translation of the New Testament depends upon 
the textual criticism, by scholars, of the existing manu- 
scripts, versions and quotations by the early fathers, so as 
to approximate the original text. The originals were de- 
stroyed in various ways, much as books and letters are 
lost or worn out today. Copies of them were made from 
time to time, however, and they were well known to the 
early fathers and by them liberally quoted. Parchment 
was expensive and scarce in those days, and the use or 
possession of Christian writings was dangerous. There 
was little chance, therefore, of deliberate imposition. Peo- 
ple do not spend their money and their labor to perpet- 
uate things which they do not believe in, when they will 
get nothing but reproach out of it, with the probability of 
paying the penalty of their lives if discovered. On the 
other hand, sincere persons do not do such things in an 
insincere or haphazard way. So we have every reason to 
believe that the copyists in practically every case were 
acting honestly and carefully. This alone does not in- 
sure against inadvertence or occasional mistake. When 
we consider, however, that we have two manuscripts of 
the fourth century (the Sinaitic and the Vatican), which 
contain respectively, all of the text, and all but the latter 
part of Hebrews and on to the end, and four of the fifth 
century, seven of the sixth, etc., all of primary importance, 
and many partial MSS. of lesser importance, so that there 
are over a thousand MSS. in all, we realize how little 
chance there is that the same inadvertence or mistake 
would happen in many MSS., except where derived from a 
common source having the same error, which would not 



The Book 25 

frequently occur. Add to these safeguards the numerous 
ancient versions, as, for example, the Peshito Syriac of the 
second century. Add still again the quotations from the 
early fathers, dating back even to apostolic times, as, for 
example, Justin Martyr, Clement, later Tertullian, and in 
the fourth century Origen, who quotes over two-thirds of 
the ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT in his writings. With 
these MSS. versions and quotations the textual critic has 
by general consent, far more material with which to re- 
store the original text than in the case of any other an- 
cient document. The great scholar and critic, Dr. Brooke 
F. Westcott, says, "We have never observed the slightest 
trace of undetected interpolations or corruptions of any 
moment, and entirely disbelieve their existence." Again, 
he says, "Discussions on textual criticism almost inevita- 
bly obscure the simple fact that variations are but sec- 
ondary incidents of a fundamentally single and identical 
text" And once again, "In the variety and fullness of 
the evidence on which it stands, the text of the New Tes- 
tament stands absolutely and unapproachably alone among 
ancient prose writings/' 

It only remains to compare this restored text with the 
translation found in the King James Version, and when 
this is done, as in the case of the Old Testament, we find 
that for our use, the version which we commonly have is 
wholly reliable and accurate to a degree more than suf- 
ficient for all our purposes as Christians. 

"For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." 
(Psa. 119:89.) 



PART TWO 



UNDERSTANDING THE BOOK 

CHAPTER I 

INTERPRETING THE BOOK 

IN order to understand the Bible, we must find out 
how to interpret its words (2 Pet. 1:20). In this 
inquiry we shall observe just three things. In the 
first place, as was observed in our first chapter, "The 
natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God: 
for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, 
because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor. 2:14). 
This is true because "the carnal mind is at enmity against 
God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither in- 
deed can be" (Rom. 8 :7). So then, the first step towards 
correctly interpreting the Book is a personal acceptance 
of Jesus Christ and a conformity to His will. Under- 
standing will follow obedience. Our Lord stated this 
when He said, "My doctrine is not mine, but his that 
sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the 
doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of 
myself" (John 7:16,17). 

In the second place, the reader must wait for the Holy 
Spirit to impart the true meaning. He is the great 
teacher (1 Cor. 2:13), as Christ told His disciples (John 
14:26). In this respect, as in many of the other of the 
finest of our Christian experiences, we must wait pa- 
tiently and prayerfully on the Lord. "I wait for Jehovah, 
my soul doth wait, and in his word is my hope" (Psa. 
130:5). 

26 



Understanding the Book 27 

Lastly, as we have seen in an earlier chapter, it is 
the words and not merely the ideas of the sacred writers 
which we must seek to interpret (John 10 :34, 35). These 
words mean just what they say. This is no idle epigram,' 
but by the use of ordinary common sense it may be ap- 
plied in our task. The words of any document are to be 
taken in their ordinary and commonly accepted meaning 
in such a document, except that technical words and 
phrases and those having a special significance by estab- 
lished usage are to be given the force of their respective 
technical or special meanings. Hence, in the prose nar- 
rative of Acts 1:11, when the disciples are told that "this 
same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, 
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into 
heaven" these words mean that THIS SAME JESUS, 
WHICH IS TAKEN UP FROM YOU INTO HEAV- 
EN, SHALL SO COME IN LIKE MANNER AS YE 
HAVE SEEN HIM GO INTO HEAVEN. So, in the 
prose narrative of 1 Kings 15 :24, where we are told that 
"Asa slept with his fathers" it neither means that Asa 
was enjoying natural sleep, nor that he had two or more 
male parents, for this phrase has a well known special 
significance by established usage in Scripture. So, when 
Longfellow wrote in Evangeline, 

"Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven, 
Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the 
angels," 

it neither follows that he believed that the stars were nec- 
essarily silent, nor that the celestial firmament was a 
meadow, nor that stars grow and blossom, nor that the 
angels pick them for nosegays ; nor does it follow that he 
was a liar when he wrote these lines. For the ordinary 
and commonly accepted meaning in such a document 
(namely, in poetry) of these words, leaves no doubt in 
our minds as to the exact meaning of the verse. Now the 



28 The Bible 

Bible contains not only prose, but also poetry, oratory, 
song, and many other forms of literary composition, as 
we have seen in an earlier chapter ; and in every case, in 
accordance with the explanation just given, the words of 
the text mean just what they say (Luke 24:25). 

That the conclusion just reached is correct, is evident 
when we consider it in the light of the discussion of IN- 
ERRANCY in a preceding chapter. Science accords with 
the plain meaning of the words ; archaeology demonstrates 
the literal correctness of the historical narratives; while 
prophecy has always been fulfilled in an event word for 
word in accordance with the prediction. Here we note 
that all the Old Testament is prophetic (Matt. 11:13), 
and much of the New is manifestly prophetic also. All 
fulfilled prophecy having been fulfilled to the word, it fol- 
lows that all the prophetic Old Testament, and the proph- 
ecies in the New, will be fulfilled to the word. If the 
text manifested any difference in the form of these two 
classes of prophecies, we could not speak with confidence ; 
but it does not. Fulfilled and unfulfilled prophecy, wher- 
ever they coincide in the Old or New Testaments, are 
intermingled without distinction in any detail, even to the 
extent of being found together in one sentence (Isa. 
61:1,2, and see Luke 4:16-21). 

We arrive at the inevitable conclusion from all this, that 
historical narratives always detail literal history, although 
we may draw evident morals and lessons from the text ; 
and that prophecy always predicts events to have a literal 
fulfillment, although perhaps there was a moral lesson 
which the hearers of the prediction derived from the lan- 
gauge used (as in the case of the prophecy of the de- 
struction of Nineveh in the book of Jonah), and which 
may likewise be profitable to us. Many things in the 
Scriptures are types of things to follow (Hagar of the 
Law, Gal. 4:21-32), but that does not spiritualize away 
the literal signification, but the primary interpretation 



Understanding the Book 29 

must prevail, and other meanings must be secondary. For 
the words of the Bible mean JUST WHAT THEY SAY. 
''Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous 
things out of thy law" (Psa. 119:18). 



CHAPTER II 

GOD IN THE BOOK 

In chapter XIII of A Child's History of England, by 
Charles Dickens, the author tells us of a certain MAN. 
As we read further in the chapter, we find that it con- 
cerns a certain KING. Yet again, we note that the sub- 
ject-matter relates variously to a MONARCH, to one 
RICHARD, to a ROYAL MASTER, to a PRINCE, 
and even to a BROTHER. This person is referred to in 
one place as a warrior, "RICHARD OF THE LION'S 
HEART"; but in another place, he is a POET and a 
MUSICIAN. It is at once clear that all these references 
are to King Richard the First of England; and the dif- 
ferent terms employed are necessary words to indicate 
his being, office, station, name, authority, birth, relation- 
ships and personal characteristics. Instead of producing 
confusion, Dickens has revealed the man to us in all his 
essential details. 

This all reminds one of the Bible. In the first verse of 
Genesis we find "God" mentioned in connection with His 
all-powerful existence and being. Again we find Him as 
"Lord" (Master), the Master of creation (Psa. 2:4). 
He is spoken of by His name "Jehovah" ("Lord," in 
the King James Version: all capitals) in Exodus 6:3 
and in many other places. Again He is the warrior, the 
"Lord of Hosts" (Psa. 46:11). Sometimes His attri- 
butes characterize the designation as "The Almighty 
God" (Gen. 17:1), "The Most High God" (Gen. 14:18), 
"The Everlasting God" (Gen. 21 :33). In the New Tes- 



30 The Bible 

tament the Persons of His being are expressed by "the 
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19). In- 
stead of producing confusion, these references, with the 
context, should reveal Deity to us in all essential details. 
The understanding of this is one of the primary steps in 
understanding the Bible. If we fail to find God in the 
Book, revealed through Jesus Christ our Lord, we have 
failed to comprehend its message (Heb. 10:7; Luke 
24:44,45; John 1:18). 

Some foolish people have tried to tell us that because 
Deity has so many designations, particularly in the Pen- 
tateuch, therefore several different persons wrote the 
Pentateuch ; and that each one used the terminology for 
his imagination of God which constituted his own tradi- 
tional concept of a supreme being. Also, they say that 
Moses was just the ideal composite of the editor (or re- 
dactor) who supervised the work, and that he never 
really existed. "Very well, then, Dickens' Child's History 
of England had as many writers as there are designa- 
tions for Richard I in chapter XIII; each one gives us 
his traditional concept of a King, who never really ex- 
isted; and Dickens was not a real person, but only the 
ideal composite of all the editors who collected these ac- 
counts" (Why? when? where? who? — We do not 
know. Pray do not embarrass us with questions). 

"But," they reply, "we know from other sources that 
both Richard and Dickens existed, and that Dickens wrote 
this history." "Verily, then, we know that the God of the 
Old Testament lives and that Moses wrote the Penta- 
teuch, for one who was present during all that time has 
told us so, and this is none other than God in the second 
Person, Jesus Christ our Lord" (Mk. 7:9, 10; Mk. 12:26; 
Luke 16:29-31; John 5:45-47; Luke 24 :27, 44) . What 
wicked nonsense these self-styled scholars would have us 
swallow! (Psa. 14:1). 

Now then let us look at two important things in con- 



Understanding the Book 31 

nection with the subject of this chapter: First, the 
triune nature of God; second, the way in which God 
is manifested to individuals. God is a Trinity. There 
are three persons in the Godhead (Matt. 3:16,17), the 
Father, who is God (John 6:45 ; John 17), the Son, who 
is God (John 1:1; John 10:30; Isa. 9:6; Col. 1:16,17, 
and many other proof texts in all parts of the Book) , and 
the Holy Spirit, who is a person (John 14 :26 and others), 
and is God (John 15 :26; Rom. 8:26; Luke 12 :10; Rom. 
8:11; 1 Cor. 12:9-11). These three persons are one 
God (Matt. 28:19 — note that we have the "name" of one 
God, not the names of three). This is an Old Testament 
as well as a New Testament truth, and to cite all the evi- 
dence would be to read the whole Bible. The self -consis • 
tency of the Book here is no more evident anywhere 
than in connection with the creation account : "In the be- 
ginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (And 
scholars tell us that the Hebrew for God in Genesis 1:1, 
is Elohim, a plural form, but NOT the plural which the 
Hebrew uses to denote MORE THAN ONE God). Yet 
in the New Testament we find that it is Christ who is the 
Creator (John 1 :1 ; Col. 1 :16, 17). In Genesis 1 :26, 27, 
we read that "God said, Let us make man in our 
image. . . . So God created man in his own 
image .... male and female created he them," 
Only one inference is possible from the words "us," "our," 
"his," and "he" in these verses — Christ is God. Lastly 
note the use of "I" and "us," in Isaiah, chapter 6, verse 8 : 
"I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I 
send, and who will go for us?" Isaiah saw Christ at 
this time (John 12 :41 ) ; but it was the Holy Spirit 
who spoke to him (Acts 28:25-27). 

Secondly, let us note how it is that God manifests 
Himself to individuals. "No man hath seen God at any 
time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the 
Father, he hath declared him" (John 1 :18, "hath de- 



32 The Bible 

clared" = e|iyy^o-aro [Eng. derivative, "exegesis"] = "hath 
made an exposition of"). Now Abraham saw God (Gen. 
17:1; Gen. 18:1); Moses saw God (Ex. 3:1-6); and 
Isaiah saw God (Isa. 6:5). Clearly the reference in 
John 1 :18 (supra), is to God the Father. Now from the 
very nature of things, God the Holy Spirit, being spirit in 
the essence of His person, could not be seen by mortal 
eyes. Manifestly, it must have been Christ whom Abra- 
ham, Moses and Isaiah saw, as is plainly stated in the 
case of Isaiah (John 12:41). Moreover, it was the 
"Lord" whom Isaiah saw; it was to Moses that God 
appeared for the first time by His name Jehovah (or 
Lord) ; it was the "Lord," we are told, who ap- 
peared to Abraham, although as The Almighty God. Now 
all the Old Testament appearances of God, when the con- 
text is examined, appear to refer to the same person. If 
then any one of these theophanies is identified with the 
second Person of the Godhead, the others must neces- 
sarily be Christ as well. Taking up the words of the 
New Testament on this subject (John 14:9) we con- 
clude that every manifestation of God to an individual is 
in the person of Christ. Hence, it follows that every ap- 
pearance of God to act for the redemption of His crea- 
tures, whether in making them a covering for the sin in 
Eden (Gen. 3:21), or in delivering Jacob from Esau 
(Gen. 32), or in delivering the children of Israel from 
Egypt (Ex. 12:1-36), or in redeeming us by His blood 
shed for our sins (Col. 1:9-14), is in the person of 
Christ. So then we find that God, in the form of Christ, 
is the active agent of our salvation in all ages. This truth 
believed and received, as we read our Bible, will bless 
the reading to us as the Holy Spirit teaches us the mes- 
sage. 

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have 
eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And 
ye will not come to me, that ye might have life" (John 
5:39). 



Understanding the Book 



33 



CHAPTER III 



THE PLAN OF THE AGES 

"By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up 
Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up 
his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in 
Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God 
was able to raise him up, even from the dead: from, 
whence also he received him in a figure" (Heb. 11 :17-19). 

From the creation and the first family, to Enoch, 
Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and all the other faithful 
of the Old Testament, and on to "lesus, the author and 
finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:1,2), we find that BY 
FAITH they were able to please God (Heb. 11). We 
may well ask, "Faith in what?" We find a comprehen- 
sive answer in Romans 10:17, "So then faith cometh by 
hearing, and hearing by the word of God" In other 
words, faith consists in hearing and receiving the revela- 
tion which God has given us ; and which in our present 
case, means that we receive His Son, Jesus Christ our 
Lord, "who was delivered for our offenses, and was 
raised again for our justification" (Rom. 4:25) " AC- 
CORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES" (1 Cor. 15:3,4). 
As revelation progressed during the Biblical period, the 
system of principles, promises and rules, ordained and ad- 
ministered by God, wherein consisted God's mind and 
will for mankind, would vary ; but the acceptance of each 
current revelation when given, in other words, faith in 
God, always was and is the sole basis of acceptance with 
Him. With us, while we need have little or no theological 
knowledge in order to be saved, our faith is nevertheless 
based upon the hearing of the Word of God ; for, to ac- 
cept Christ is to BELIEVE GOD with faithful Abraham, 
"and how shall they believe in him of whom they have 
not heard?" (Rom. 10:14). If then, as we have seen, 
saving faith is based upon the hearing of the Scriptures, 



34 The Bible 

we must conclude that its nurture and growth will come 
about when we, as Christians, seek to apprehend that 
faith which in every age has characterized those who 
thereby obtained the record that they pleased God (1 
Pet. 2:2; Acts 20:32). Let us examine this subject 
further. 

When man was first created, he was innocent (Gen. 
2 :25), and God's desire for him was to give him dominion 
over the earth (Gen. 1 :28-30) . There was one command : 
that man abstain from the fruit of the tree of the knowl- 
edge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17). This requirement 
might, perhaps, have been enforced by some form of 
constraint ; but it was not. The only thing asked in this 
respect was willing obedience, which only proceeds from 
faith by the one who obeys in the one requiring obe- 
dience. We never willingly respond to the request of any- 
one in whom we lack faith, unless under some form of 
direct or indirect compulsion. Now, Adam was not de- 
ceived (1 Tim. 2:14) as was Eve, but he deliberately 
broke faith with God (Gen. 3:12). By this means, sin 
and death entered the world (1 Cor. 15:21,22), and a 
new basis of dealing with man became necessary. 

In spite of the curse brought on the race by lack of 
faith (Gen. 3:16-19), the Lord made a great promise 
to Adam of the Redeemer who should come, the first 
promise of Christ (Gen. 3:15). God desired that man- 
kind should exhibit righteousness (2 Pet. 2:5), and His 
dealing with man was on an individual basis. Faith con- 
sisted in man's doing rightly ; and, for any fault, in pre- 
senting the blood offering (Gen. 4:4, 5; Heb. 11:4). God 
had already revealed the need of an offering, when by 
shedding the blood of animals in order to make a cover- 
ing for the nakedness (the manifestation or confession 
of the sin) of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:21), He indi- 
cated that without the shedding of blood there is no re- 
mission or covering for sin (Heb. 9:22). Man again 



Understanding the Book 35 

manifested a lack of faith by unwillingness to obey God 
(Gen. 6:5), until it once more became necessary to re- 
establish the basis of dealing with the race (Gen. 6:6, 7). 

The third age began with the establishment of the 
seasons after the Flood (Gen. 8:22), and like the second, 
started with a great promise to Noah and his descend- 
ants (of whom we are a part, as in the case of the prom- 
ise to Adam) that the earth would never again be de- 
stroyed by a flood, that the seasons should be perpetu- 
ally fruitful, and that the government of the earth should 
thereafter be in the hands of the race as a whole (Gen. 
8:21-9:17). Punishment by society, which was there- 
tofore expressly withheld, as in the case of Cain (Gen. 
4:13-15), was expressly conferred as the type of the 
highest form of governmental function (Gen. 9:6). God 
still desired that mankind should exhibit righteousness 
by faith (Heb. 11:7), but He now dealt with man col- 
lectively, and nations first appeared on the earth (Gen. 
10:32). As in the preceding age, lack of faith soon be- 
came the characteristic of the times, except that it ap- 
peared in national form (Gen. 11 :2-4) ; with the conse- 
quence that the presumptious nations must be dispersed 
(Gen. 11:6-9), and a further basis of dealing adopted. 

In the second and third ages, we have seen man 
dealt with individually and collectively, and neither has 
been a success, because of lack of faith on man's part, 
faith being then as ever the great requirement. God 
now chose a single man, from whom was to descend a 
chosen race (Gen. 17:1-19). This race was to be the 
recipient of the revelation upon which the faith for the 
coming age would be based (Rom. 3:1-3). That faith 
was based upon the new promise or covenant which 
God made with Abraham (Gen. 12 :l-3 ; 13 :14-18 ; 15:5; 
17:6-8; and 22:15-18). In this unconditional covenant 
(Gal. 3:17, 18), the Lord promised blessing to Abra- 
ham, to his posterity, and to the whole race (Gen. 



36 The Bible 

12:1-3) ; a great natural posterity (Gen. 13:16) ; a great 
spiritual posterity (Gen. 15:5; Rom. 4:16-18) ; and the 
land of Canaan as a perpetual inheritance (Gen. 17:8). 
This covenant called for faithful submission to its prom- 
ise, and abiding thereunder, with the shedding of blood 
as the unchanging requirement for the remission of sin 
(Gen. 22:13) as in all ages. And when finally the chil- 
dren of Israel persisted in leaving the land to which 
Abraham was sent in the covenant (Gen. 12:1), and in 
going to Egypt, the last place to which they should have 
gone (Gen. 26:2), their faith had so far gone that they 
forsook the promises and chose instead a covenant of 
works, by the doing of which they might live (Ex. 19:8). 
Thereby they abandoned the benefit of the promises, and 
God perforce must deal with them on a new basis. 

Now the Law did not disannul the promise to Abra- 
ham, made four hundred thirty years earlier (Gal. 3:17), 
but the children of Israel chose to live under law rather 
than under promise (Ex. 19:8). The Law, the covenant 
of works, consists essentially of the Ten Commandments 
(Ex. 20:3-17), and is conditional (whereas the other 
great promises of the Scriptures are all unconditional) 
upon obedience to the whole law (Ex. 19:5-8; James 
2:10; 1 John 3:4), which was and is a condition which 
nobody can ever satisfy (Rom. 3:20-23; Psa. 14:2,3). 

Faith, therefore, consisted not in sinless compliance 
with the condition of the covenant, nor in the formal 
offerings of the Mosaic code, but rather in the sincere 
offering of the broken and contrite heart, whereby God 
is pleased with the offerings; and not otherwise (Psa. 
51). In other words, faith is simply believing God's 
revelation (Hab. 2:4). In spite of all the failures and 
the faithless conduct of God's people, this age continued 
until Christ was offered once for all, "one sacrifice for 
sins forever 3 ' (Heb. 10:1-14). Now where remission of 
sins is, there is no more offering for sins (Heb. 10:18) ; 



Understanding the Book 



37 



so that the conditional covenant of works must give way 
to the promises to faithful Abraham, to which all children 
of God are heirs (Gal. 3:26-29). 

Now grace came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17), and 
grace is unmerited favor bestowed by faith through the 
redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:21-28). And 
so, with the complete revelation which we have in the 
Word, we have a new covenant (Heb. 8:6-13), better 
than the other which was the covenant of works (Heb. 
8:6), based on Christ's sacrificial death on the cross 
(Heb. 9:27,28), promising to every believer justification 
by faith (Rom. 1:16,17), and made efficacious by the 
blood of Jesus (Heb. 10:10-22). Wherefore, if we be- 
lieve God and receive this covenant, which is revealed to 
us in His Word, we are accounted righteous, "Even as 
Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for 
righteousness" (Gal. 3:6). And this is the good news 
for us of this age, the grace wherein we stand, by which 
also we are saved (1 Cor. 15:1-4). 

But are these six ages all ? Or do we find another yet 
to come? Let us see. God promised to Abraham that 
his seed should possess all the land from the river of 
Egypt to the great river Euphrates, and this they have 
not yet done (Gen. 15 :18). God said that the children of 
Israel should be scattered "among all people, from the 
one end of the earth even unto the other" (Deut. 28: 
64-67) ; and God made a great unconditional promise, 
that after all these things are come to pass, He will return 
and will regather Israel to the land promised to Abraham, 
and there will be great national prosperity (Deut. 30). 
The Hebrews are now scattered, and that part is now 
being fulfilled, so that the other part, promising the 
restoration, is still future. We further see another great 
promise of Scripture, the one to David, unconditionally 
covenanting that his throne should be established for- 
ever (2 Sam. 7:8-16). This promise is confirmed, re- 



38 The Bible 

garding Jesus, to Mary, the descendant of David (Luke 
1:31-33), and obviously has not yet been fulfilled. All 
through the Old Testament, and particularly in the 
Prophets, and in parts of the New Testament, reference 
is made to this return and the splendor of the Jews, and 
to a righteous rule of a Divine King ; and some time this 
will come to pass. This will be the seventh age, when a 
"King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judg- 
ment and justice in the earth — and this is his name 
whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHT- 
EOUSNESS" (Jer. 23:5,6), when "the leopard shall lie 
down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and 
the fatting together and a little child shall lead them" 
(Isa. 11:6), when "they shall beat their swords into 
plowshares and their spears into pruning-hooks — neither 
shall they learn war any more" (Mic. 4:3). 

All the Bible will naturally fall into one of these 
seven ages, chronologically, and the meaning to be given 
to the text will become clearer when considered in the 
light of the special revelation regarding that particular 
age. 

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a work- 
man that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the 
word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). 



PART THREE 



SALVATION IN THE BOOK 

CHAPTER I 

THE LAW 

THE Law came by Moses (John 1:17) and consti- 
tutes the condition of the covenant of works. This 
condition, by the performing of which one may 
live (Rom. 2:13), consists of the Decalogue (Ex. 20: 
3-17). Immediately following the Commandments, we 
find the judgments, which are not a part of the condition 
of the covenant, but which constitute the penalties for 
the misdeeds of the people under the law (Ex. 21, 22, 23, 
et seq.) Thence from place to place in the Pentateuch, 
and particularly in Leviticus (Lev. 16. et al.) we find the 
ceremonial enactments, constituting the religious code 
under the law. These three, the Law proper, the judg- 
ments, and the ceremonial enactments, taken together, 
constitute the Law of Moses as that term is used in gen- 
eral (Acts 6:13, 14; Luke 2:22). 

There are four observations which we shall make in 
this chapter : The first one is, that the law is "holy and just 
and good" (Rom. 7:12). Its very operation demonstrates 
this, for by the law is the knowledge of sin (Rom. 3 :20) ; 
and the law judges sin (Rom. 2:12). Hence, by the law, 
sin is revealed and judged. This is just, for the reason 
that sin intrinsically is ill deserving, and requires punish- 
ment in exact proportion to its heinousness (Deut. 
25 :16 ; Psa. 5 :4, 5 ; Jer. 44 :4 ; Rom. 2 :2 ; 2 Thess. 1 :6) . 
Wherefore, the doers of the law shall be justified by it 
(Rom. 2:13) ; and it is not made death unto anyone; but 

39 



40 The Bible 

sin, revealed by the law, is thereby disclosed in its true 
sinful character, by virtue of sin's working death in the 
sinner by the "holy and just and good" law (Rom. 
7:7-14). 

Secondly, we note that "sin hath reigned unto death" 
(Rom. 5:21). This is true, as the Bible says (Rom. 
3:23), not because God has ordained sin unto death, for 
God is not willing that any should perish (2 Pet. 3 :9 ; 
Ezk. 33:11), but because the Bible states what is the in- 
disputable fact, that ALL HAVE SINNED (Isa. 53:6). 
Wherefore the law could not justify anybody, in that it 
is weak through the flesh (Rom. 8:3). 

Thirdly, we observe that the fulfillment of the penal- 
ties and judgments provided in the Pentateuch will never 
satisfy the guilt of sin. Common sense tells us this, for 
punishment is never restitution, and the burnt child, al- 
though forgiven, still bears the scar of the burn received 
through disobedience. And the teaching of the Bible is 
uniform that punishment for sin is eternal and penal, not 
corrective (Matt. 25:41,46). 

In the fourth place, let us consider the function of 
the ceremonial ordinances. The law, while it did not 
justify anyone, as we have seen, yet had a means of 
escape through faith, as we saw in a former chapter. This 
faith consisted in bringing the offering commanded in the 
ceremonial law, accompanied by faith in God's revelation 
through Moses, and a heart repentant and sorrowing for 
sin (Psa. 51). Most important among the ceremonials 
was the sin offering, always accomplished by the shedding 
of blood (Lev. 16), without which there is no remission 
(Heb. 9:22). These offerings could never satisfy the 
guilt of sin (Psa. 51:16,17; Heb. 10:1-8), but they 
were the subject-matter revealed for the exercise of faith 
and thereby served as a covering for sin until Christ 
should come to make full atonement (Heb. 9). In fact, 
we are told, as one may see, that the Hebrew word 



Salvation in the Book 41 

"kaphar," translated "atonement" in the Old Testament, 
is literally "cover." Hence, the shedding of blood in 
faithful conformity to the ceremonial law (Lev. 17:11), 
made a covering for sins, and the Lord, when He saw 
the blood, passed over them (Ex. 12:12-14) until such 
time as Christ, through His shed blood should be set 
forth to be a propitiation for sins that are past (Rom. 
3:24, 25). But now Christ has been offered once for all, 
"one sacrifice for sins forever" (Heb. 10:1-14), and 
where remission of sins is, there is no more offering for 
sin (Heb. 10:18), so that now the offerings under the 
law have lost their virtue forever. Hence, we conclude 
that the law could never remove the guilt of sin (Acts 
13 :38, 39), and its office was as our schoolmaster to bring 
us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith (Gal. 
3:19-24). 

From the foregoing we see that the law reveals sin 
in everyone, which works death ; it justifies nobody ; its 
punishments are penal only, not corrective; and the effi- 
cacy of its ceremonials ceased with the offering of Christ. 
Therefore we dare not rely on the law, but must rely on 
the merits of our Lord, who died for our sins accord- 
ing to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4). 

"For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed 
me: for he wrote of me" (John 5:46). 



CHAPTER II 

THE GOOD NEWS 

The development of the natural man is a sure process : 
he can neither receive nor know the things of the Spirit 
of God, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 
2:14). Therefore he fails to glorify God as God, he be- 
comes unthankful and vain-minded, his foolish heart is 
darkened, whereas he professes to be wise he really be- 



42 The Bible 

comes foolish, and he changes the glory of God into 
an image like unto corruptible flesh (Rom. 1:21-23). His 
operations, pursuant to this development, are likewise 
sure: he is abandoned in all his pursuits to an unclean 
heart, to vile actions, and to a reprobate mind (Rom. 1 : 
24, 26, 28). Finally, the result of this development is 
sure: he is condemned by himself and by God (Rom. 
2 :1, 2), he will suffer tribulation (Rom. 2 :9), and he will 
either perish without the law or be judged by the law 
(Rom. 2:12). Thereby we conclude that all unbelievers 
are under sin, are unrighteous, fail to understand God, to 
seek after God, or to do good (Rom. 3 :9-12) ; that all are 
guilty, none are justified by the law, and all come short 
of the glory of God (Rom. 3:19-23). 

"But now the righteousness of God without the law 
is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the 
prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by 
faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that 
believe: for there is no difference : for all have sinned, 
and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely 
by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ 
Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation 
through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness 
for the remission of sins that are past, through the for- 
bearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his right- 
eousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him 
which believe th in Jesus .... Therefore we con- 
clude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of 
the law" (Rom. 3:21-28). And herein consists the gos- 
pel, the good news "concerning his Son Jesus Christ our 
Lord." This message requires no expert theological 
knowledge on our part, but only the simple receiving and 
accepting of God's revelation to us "that as Moses lifted 
up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of 
man be lifted tip; that whosoever believeth in him should 
not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14, 15). 



Salvation in the Book 



43 



Now as we have observed in the preceding chapter, 
sin is intrinsically ill-deserving, and requires death as pun- 
ishment (Rom. 2 :2) ; but Christ hath "once suffered for 
sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to 
God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by 
the spirit" (1 Pet. 3:18). So we see that by His death, 
Christ satisfied the claims against us, by the accepting of 
which satisfaction all of Satan's dominion over us 
through sins committed has been destroyed (1 John 3 :8), 
and not only his dominion, but also Satan himself (Heb. 
2:14). There is an eternal relation of cause and effect 
between sin and death (Rom. 6:23), and only through 
Christ and faith in Him is the effect of that relation 
transferred from the guilty sinner, "For in that he died, 
he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto 
God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead in- 
deed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ 
our Lord" (Rom. 6 :10, 11). His death satisfied the judg- 
ment against us for sins, so that "There is therefore now 
no condemnation (KaT<xKpifjLcc=" judgment") to them which 
are in Christ Jesus" (Rom 8 :1). He bare our sins in His 
own body that we might live (1 Pet. 2:24). 

The result and power of this wonderful salvation is 
that we are born again from above (John 3:3-8), and 
being born again we are new creatures in Christ Jesus 
(2 Cor. 5:17), our old carnal natures having been cruci- 
fied with Christ (Rom. 6:6). Furthermore, we are 
created anew in Christ Jesus, our bodies are members of 
the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27), and the temples of the 
Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). Christ is the head of the 
body, and the body is the Church (Col. 1 :18). Then, as 
members of the Church, we are members not of a phys- 
ical organization which derives its existence from human 
consent, but of a living organism, vital not artificial, 
which is His body (Eph. 1 :23), and His bride (Eph. 5: 
30-32). This Church, His body, is a mystery, hidden in 



44 The Bible 

God until revealed through Paul (Eph. 3). When, through 
this great salvation which is given to us in God's provi- 
dence, and which is the message of the good news, we 
are saved through faith, the study of His holy Word will 
greatly enable us to grow in grace and "to put on the new 
man, which after God is created in righteousness and 
true holiness" (Eph. 4:24). 

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my 
word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlast- 
ing life, and shall not come into cond' mnation; but is 
passed from death unto life" (John 5 :24) . 



CHAPTER III 

THE SIGN OF THE PROPHET JONAS 

"Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty 
works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother 
called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and 
Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with 
us? Whence then hath this man all these things?" (Matt. 
13:54-56). This was a natural inquiry, and it is one 
which we may reverentially make. Even John the Bap- 
tist asked, "Art thou he that should come, or do we look 
for another?" (Matt. 11:3), and John was the greatest 
of the prophets (Luke 7:28). To the Christian, the Holy 
Spirit will bear witness to the genuineness of Christ's 
claims (John 15:26). To the multitudes who saw Him, 
the works which He did bore witness that the Father had 
sent Him (John 5 :36) "Whether is easier, to say, Thy 
sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? But 
that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon 
earth to forgive sins, (he saith unto the sick of the palsy,) 
I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into 
thine own house. And immediately he rose up before 



Salvation in the Book 



45 



them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to 
his own house, glorifying God" (Luke 5:23-25). 

We have seen that Christ testified to the Old Testa- 
ment (Part I, Chaps. 1 and 2 supra), and authorized the 
New Testament in advance (idem). These statements on 
His part constitute a part of the whole claim which He 
makes throughout the four Gospels to Divine power and 
authority. If we can find any tangible fact which sub- 
stantiates these claims, we establish His power and au- 
thority as the Divine Saviour and as God, and incident- 
ally we establish the whole of revelation upon which our 
faith rests. No more satisfactory evidence of this char- 
acter could be desired than the RESURRECTION. If 
the resurrection be admitted to be the fact upon which 
Christ's claims are and were based, and if this fact be 
an admitted fact, nothing more is needed: if it is true, 
anything else claimed must be true. If the resurrection 
never occurred, nothing can save Christianity from being 
an admitted failure and delusion (1 Cor. 15). That the 
resurrection is an admitted fact, as clearly demonstrated 
as any fact of history, cannot intelligently be gainsaid, 
(see, The Certainty and Importance of the Bodily Resur- 
rection of Jesus Christ from the Dead, by R. A. Torrey ; 
Observations on the Resurrection of Christ, by Gilbert 
West ; and any number of others) , and it is not our inten- 
tion here to offer any evidence along this line. We do 
assert the other phase of the situation: viz., that the 
claims of Christ to Divine power and authority with all 
the intendments carried therewith were by Him based 
upon the resurrection; and therefore that those claims 
and our faith stand or fall as the case may be on that 
event. We ask you for a few minutes to look with us at 
the character of these claims as made, and you will see 
that the resurrection is the basic fact upon which the 
verity of Scriptural doctrine rests. 

Christ stated the fact of the resurrection to His disci- 






46 The Bible 

pies on several occasions, saying that He would be cruci- 
fied and that He would rise again on the third day (Matt. 
20:19; Mk. 9:31; Mk. 10:34; Luke 18:33). But He 
went further than this; for He said to the Jews, when 
they asked Him for a sign, "Destroy this temple, and in 
three days I will raise it up. . . . But he spake of 
the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from 
the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this 
unto them" (John 2:19-22) ; and again, when the Phari- 
sees said to Him, "Thou bearest record of thyself; thy 
record is not true. . . . Where is thy father? . . 
. . Who art thou?" (John 8:13, 19, 25), He replied to 
them, "When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall 
ye know that I am he" (John 8 :28) . But the record goes 
yet further in this respect; for on various occasions, 
whether He were speaking and teaching, or doing mira- 
cles, or asserting His claims in other ways, a sign by 
which His genuineness might appear was required of 
Him ; and "he answered and said unto them, An evil and 
adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there 
shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet 
Jonas" (Matt. 16:4; Luke 11:29; Matt. 12:39). What 
was the sign of the prophet Jonas? — "For as Jonas was 
three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall 
the Son of man be three days and three nights in the 
heart of the earth" (Matt. 12:40). The Pharisees rec- 
ognized this sign and its significance more promptly than 
many Christians do; for their first concern was on this 
score ; and they required a guard of Roman soldiers of 
Pilate in the vain hope of preventing resurrection (Matt. 
27:62-66). When Christ had arisen, the Pharisees real- 
ized that the unimpeachable sign had been fulfilled, and 
vainly tried to conceal this fulfillment by bribing the sol- 
diers to say, "His disciples came by night, and stole him 
away while we slept" (Matt. 28:13), little realizing that 
people cannot be so far deceived as to ignore the evidence 



Salvation in the Book 



47 



of their five senses, particularly when the deceit rests 
upon the report by the deceivers of what they saw 
WHILE THEY WERE ASLEEP. 

The gospel which Paul proclaims to us is that "Christ 
died for our sins according to the scriptures ; And that 
he was buried, and that he arose again the third day AC- 
CORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES" (1 Cor. 15:1-4). 
Now if Christ arose "according to the scriptures/' it is 
safe to believe that He would naturally have mentioned 
some of those scriptures in connection with His resurrec- 
tion. And so He did ; and the scriptures which He men- 
tioned in each case was the book of Jonah. Small wonder 
that Satan is so anxious to get Jonah out of the Bible! 
When Abraham took Isaac up into the mountain to offer 
him as a sacrifice, he said to his young men, "Abide ye 
here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and 
worship, and come again to you" (Gen. 22:5): Notice 
that "come again to you," "accounting that God was able 
to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also 
he received him in a figure" (Heb. 11:19). Paul, as 
quoted above, says that the resurrection, "according to 
the scriptures," is a part of the good news. Belief in the 
heart that God has raised Christ from the dead is part 
of the grounds of salvation (Rom. 10:9). When Christ 
was raised, it was for our justification (Rom. 4:25). 
Faith by Abraham in the God who raises the dead to 
make good His promises, gave him the testimony which 
saith, "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto 
him for righteousness" (James 2:23). Job had this 
faith (Job. 19:25,26), and David (Psa. 16:10), and 
Isaiah (Isa. 26:19), and Daniel (Dan. 12:2), and Hosea 
(Hos. 13:14), and it is a part of the gospel whereby we 
are saved, as Paul says, and by accepting which it can 
be said of us as of faithful Abraham, that we believe God. 
From all this we conclude that the resurrection of 
Christ is the sign upon which He based His claims to 



48 The Bible 

divine power and authority. As such it is the basic fact 
upon which scriptural doctrine rests, and thereby is an 
essential element of saving faith (1 Cor. 15). There 
being no doubt that it is a demonstrated, historical fact, 
we find in it the tangible and eternal foundation for and 
evidence of Christianity. 

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, 
and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which 
built his house upon a rock; And the rains descended, 
and the -floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon 
that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a 
rock" (Matt. 7:24,25). 

CONCLUSION 

In closing, the author will but give this testimony from 
his own Christian experience; that relying only upon 
the merits of his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who 
died for our sins according to the Scriptures, he accepts 
all Scripture as being given by inspiration of God, as the 
only revelation of God's mind and will for mankind, and 
as presenting all the incidental facts of the text in every 
respect, wholly without error, even in the slightest de- 
gree. 

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy 
mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, 
that thou may est observe to do according to all that is 
written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way pros- 
perous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Josh. 
1:8). 



yBRARY 0F C0NGRESS 

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Hollinger 

pH 8.5 

Mill Run F03-2193 



